Games payment provider Xsolla appoints new CEO six months after mass layoffs controversy

Xsolla founder Aleksandr Agapitov will no longer serve as the company’s CEO. He will be replaced by former CTO Konstantin Golubitsky in a reshuffle happening six months after the layoffs scandal.

VentureBeat reported the news on February 2, saying that Golubitsky’s main goal will be strengthening Xsolla’s position in video game commerce and improving the company’s corporate culture.

The reason for Agapitov’s replacement remains undisclosed. However, this might be related to his decision to fire 150 people last summer. Agaptiov’s leaked letter caused controversy as the company used big data and AI analysis to track employees’ activity at the workplace, marking dozens of people as “unengaged and unproductive.”

Considering all the debate surrounding the whole story, the new CEO is now facing a huge challenge of trying to improve the company’s internal processes and workplace culture.

Golubitsky told VentureBeat that Xsolla understands the importance of these issues, with the company working hard to be transparent and fair with its people. “As upper management, our responsibility is to support teams while the company grows,” he added. “To ensure this level of transparency we are working on implementing internal systems to set goals and help everyone clearly understand how to succeed and be rewarded at the company.”

Agapitov will remain Xsolla’s owner and chairman of the board of directors. He will also lead the development of the company’s upcoming Web 3.0 products, including the X.LA engine.